hedge*hog*ging v. Interrupting conversations in an office environment by poking your head over the top of the cube.
The drastic drop in the price of the iPhone got us hedgehogging all week. It’s evident an Apple/Verizon Wireless partnership never would have worked as Apple is not necessarily playing by traditional wireless rules. Among the questions we would like honest answers to: 1) Can AT&T Mobility be pleased that iPhone early adopters are angry that they shelled out an extra $200 for the device? And will those same customers be appeased by the $100 credit offered by Apple? AT&T Mobility already has taken the brunt of iPhone-related complaints; certainly Apple should bear sole responsibility for this one. 2) What does AT&T Mobility make of the iPod Touch, which is the iPhone without the cellphone calling feature? How many people will opt for the iPod Touch and continue to carry a $50 handset from a competitor? 3) Can you use Skype for calling on the iPod Touch? 4) Will AT&T Mobility be OK with this relationship, or will it now be more receptive to its traditional handset partners? 5) What do Nokia/Moto/LG/Samsung/Sony Ericsson make of this? Obsessive journalists want to know.
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So along with its other announcements, Steve Jobs commented on Apple’s failure to reach a new deal with NBC to offer NBC shows through its iTunes service with this comment: “I don’t think that selling TV shows for a lot more than we are makes any sense. You can watch them for free on TV.” Um, does he realize you can also listen to music for free on the radio?
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We know much is being made about those poor people who stood in line for weeks to be the first to pay $600 for an 8 GB iPhone, only to see the price cut by onethird two months later. Every iPhone-related message board is filled with these saps crying about the “injustice” of it all. Is this not what happens with every electronic device ever made? Regardless, the whinning worked and Apple’s decision to throw them a $100 bone could set a dangerous precident.
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Verizon Wireless never has gone along with the rest of the wireless carrier pack. It’s separated from other carriers on distracted driving, cell-phone-numbers directory assistance and prorating early-termination fees. The carrier last week was the first to settle with various municipalities in Missouri over a six-year battle on taxes-thus avoiding any potential bigger fallout if the lawsuit reaches class-action status.
